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The Charter of Legacy

The Spirit of Legacy is Service.

The care of dependants of those who served their country; namely
veterans who died on operational service or subsequently, and
Australian Defence Force personnel who died as a result of their service,
affords a field for service.

Safeguarding the interests of dependants, especially children,
is a service worth rendering.

Personal effort is the main essential.

Inasmuch as these are the activities of Legacy,
it is our privilege to accept the legacy of the fallen.

The Badge of Legacy

Legacy has adopted as its badge the Torch, taken from the poem "In Flanders' Fields".
The symbolism of the Torch is explained below.

The Badge of Legacy symbolises in its torch the undying flame of service and sacrifice handed to us by our comrades in war who have passed on. In its wreath of laurel, with its points inverted in remembrance, is the guerdon of honour; that is the meed of those who gave their lives for their country.

IN FLANDERS' FIELDS

"In Flanders' Fields" was written by a Canadian Physician, Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae on May 3, 1915. It remains one of the most memorable war poems ever written. Legacy has adopted "In Flanders' Fields" as its own.

In Flanders’ fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place: and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders’ fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe;
To you from failing hand we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders’ fields.

THE LEGACY ODE

The Legacy Ode was adapted from the second verse of the American Poet RW Lilliard’s “An American Answer” written in 1918 as an answer to the challenge within "In Flanders' Fields". The Legacy Ode is often read at Legacy functions, meetings, handover lunches and dinners and at other special events.

Fear not that you have died for naught
The torch you threw to us we caught.
And now our hands will hold it high
Its glorious light shall never die,
We’ll not break faith with you who lie
On many a field